Potato-digger



(No lilodel.)

J. BUTMAN.

POTATO DIGGERl Patented Jan.. 4, 1887,.

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INVENTOR WITNESS las iv4 Pneus. mmmmnpm, waning u c.

' UNITED STATES `PATENT @Tirion JOHN BUTMAN, OF MILAN, OHIO.

POTATO-DIGGER.

SPEC'IFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,637, dated January 4, 1887.

Application filed'September 25, 1836. Serial No. 211,490.. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, JOHN BUTMAN, of Milan, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, have invented a certain newand Improved Potato-Digger; and I do hereby declare that To enable others to fully comprehend the construction and inode of operation of the said potato-digger, attention is directed to the 'following specification, and to the annexed drawings, in which like letters denote like parts. i Y

Figure l is a. vertical section in direction of the line x in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan View, and Fig. 3 is a detached sect-ion,as represented in the annexed drawings, and in Which- A A are carrying or driving Wheels, upon which the machine is mounted, in connection with the axle B. To the axle'is attached the tongue C, to which is connected the beam D by means of adjustable links E E, Fig. 1. The links or plates E -Ehave a pivotal attachment with the beam D and tongue C on each side, Fig. 2, forming a jointed connection.

Secured to the axle-tree are two standards, G G, which extend up and support the shaft H in boxes at the top.. To these standards are connected counter-braces a a, which extend to the tongue, to which they are fastened.. On each end of the shaft H is a double-hanged sprocket-wheel, I I. The teeth of the wheels on one side are in the radii of the center and on the other in the form of a curved line or an inclined plane, as seen at I, Fig. 1. This form of the teeth, by means of the link belt J, turns the sprocket-wheels in direction of the arrow b, Fig. 1, when the machine is moving in the line of the arrow c. In case the :machine turns or moves back ina reverse direction of the arrow c, the link belt will then not engage the teeth Of the sprocket-wheel, but slip .or slide over the inclined plane of the teeth, Vso that it will not turn in a reverse direction of the arrow b, but will be at rest, and not transmit motion by means of the link belt K to the sprocket-wheels L L for operating the potato sifting mechanism hereinafter described, as the links of the belt will slip over the'inclined faces of the teeth in the sprocket- Wheels so long as the movement of one or both of the driving-wheels is in reverse motion to the arrow. This mechanism is, in effect, the

` same in principle as the pa'wl and ratchet, but

of different construction.

. "On each of the carrying-wheels A is fastcnedA enlarged sprocket-Wheels M M', to each ofwhich is connected alink belt, J, extending to and engaging the double-iianged sprocketwheels I lon the shaft H, asbefore mentioned.

From each standard G extends an arm, N,

Fig. 2. Near the outer end of each arm is an elongated slot, as indicated by t-he dotted line d, Fig. 1. This shaft O has its bearing in these two slots, and is supported by the two arms, N N. At each'end of the shaft O is keyed a tightening-pulley, P P. To the shaft O is loosely hinged or connected the bail Q. The lower end of the bail is hitched to the spring R, fastened to the tongue C. The Iaction of the spring Rin connection with the bail Q and shaft O, causes the pulleys P P to tighten up the slack which may be made in the link belts J J which are in contact with the pulleys.

In case the link belt becomes slack by engagement with the sprocket-wheels I, or

leither of them, in the turning, backing, or other movement of the machine, one or both of the pulleys P P will then vbe drawn down upon the link belts J J, and the slack tightened up so that the engagement of the link belts with the pulleys will, take place. The slots cl in the arms N N admit of the adjustment of thesha-ftto the slack or tension of the link belts J J.

At each end of the shaft S, Fig. 2, on which the sprocket-wheel 'L' is keyed, are attached cranks TT. To each crank is connected a,

pitman, U, respectively, by vmeans of a slot, e, in thc upper part of thepitman, as seen in Fig. l. The slots in the pitman are somewhat shorter than the stroke of the crank. pitmen are jointed at their lower ends,f,` to the arms g of the sifter h.- (Shownon one side in Fig. 1.)

The sifter consists of a series of bars or rods,

These From the scraper project prongs k, whichA extend over the head of the sifter between the rods 13, as seen in Fig. 2, which prevent weeds and dirt from clogging the jointed connection of the sifter and scraper, and aid in conveying the tubers, weeds, and dirt onto the sifter. The scraper is attached tothe beam by means of braces u a.

In operating the machine, the team is connccted with the tongue in the usual way, with the driver in the rear. The scraper or shear V, by force of the draft, will enter the ground below the line of the potatoes, which are raised out ofthe ground by the scraper and passed back over the prongs onto the sifter,wl1ere they are separated from the earth by the action of the sifterinduced by the crank motion in the slot of the pitman U. These slots e,as the cranks descend, admit of the sifter vibrating or moving down by its hinged connection with the scraper V, and as the cranks ascend in the slots c of the pitmau the sifter is at rest during a certain period of this upward turn or stroke of the crank, until it is in contact with the upper end of the slot e, when the sifter is raised on its hinges quickly and sudslots upon the pitman, quickly raises up the sifter with a series of lifts as the cranks revolve, thereby eectuallysifting out the potatoes from the dirt.

By means of the adjustable links E E, the beam may be lifted up by the lever W, and also the sifter with the scraper from the ground, and held in such positiouby a pin passing through the holes in the strap Z under the beam,'Which admits of the machine being' moved from place to place without the scraper and sifter being upon theground.

hat I claim for Letters Patent is- 1. In a potatodigger, the double-hanged sprocket-wheel I, having teeth on one side in the radial lines ofits center and on the other one an incline plane, in combination with the link belt .I and enlarged sprocket-Wheel M M', and driving-Wheels, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In-a potato-digger, the pitmen U U, provided witli elongated slots at one end for the reception of the crank-pins and jointed at the lower ends to the arms g, and operated by means of alink belt and spxoeket-\vheels, in combination with the vibrating sifter hinged to the rear of the scraper and operating conjointly therewith, constructed and arranged substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

3. Inapotato-digger, the link belt K, in co11- nection with the sprocketwheels on the shafts H S, and cranks, i n combi nation witlithe pitman jointed to the sifter, with ahingcd attachment to the scraper having prongs projecting over the front portion of the scraper, and means for operating the same, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereofl affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

f JOHN BUTMAN.

VtHesSeS:

W. I-I. BURRIDGE, J. H. LAPHAM. 

